The path of movement of a struck golf ball is primarily determined by the path of movement of the golf club prior to engaging the ball. Hence, a golf club moving through the proper path of movement will result in the struck ball being impelled in the desired direction with a minimum of "slice", "hook" or other objectionable spin being imparted to the ball. Most inconsistencies in the direction of the ball movement by golfers results from an improper and misoriented swing.
A number of golf club training and guiding devices have been proposed for training golfers with respect to maintaining the proper golf club movement while addressing and striking a golf ball. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,567,530; 1,944,942; 2,520,287; 2,713,491; 2,756,056; 3,339,927; 3,341,208 and 3,583,707. Most of the aforementioned patents utilize rings and arc devices for aiding the golfer during the golf club swing and several of these devices utilize guides wherein the club may be connected to a ring or arc to indicate to the golfer the proper club swing movement.
While the prior art devices may provide some help to correct typical golfing problems, such devices are usually so rigid as to restrict the natural movements of the golfer, or so confining and inflexible as to discourage usage by the golf student. Further, many of the prior art devices are too large, heavy and expensive to be portable and are impractical and incapable of commercial distribution.
It is an object of the invention to provide a golf club swing trainer wherein the apparatus permits the golfer to be comfortable and utilize the golfers most natural swing movement and yet indicate to the golfer where problems exist to permit correction.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf club swing trainer which may be easily used by a wide variety of golfers of various sizes and which permits the golfer to use the device without unusual skills or complex instruction.
A further object of the invention is to provide a golf club swing trainer which is of a lightweight, easy to ship and transport, and having components which may assembled without extraordinary skills or special tools.
In the practice of the invention a bracket is mounted upon a vertically oriented support column having an annular ring adjustable mounted thereto. A pair of feeler elements are mounted upon the ring each having an elongated configuration and cantilever mounted upon the ring whereby the free end of the feeler element may be struck by a moving golf club shaft without damage to either the club or the feeler, and indicates to the golfer an improper orientation of the club shaft during the swing.
The feeler elements, two of which are usually employed, may be of an elongated relatively rigid construction resiliently or flexibly mounted to the ring, or the feeler element itself may be formed of a resilient and flexible material.
During use, the golfer is positioned adjacent the ring and the feeler elements in such a manner that the correct swing movement will locate the club shaft close to the feeler element's free ends, but not engaging the same. Engagement between a feeler element and the golf club shaft indicates that the golf club has been swung too close to the feeler and ring and the golfer may make adjustments during subsequent golf swings to compensate for the incorrect club movement during swinging and observe the "feel" of a properly oriented swing.
The components of the invention are economically produced, and the trainer parts may be readily disassembled for shipping and storage and easily assembled.